The maintenance program included controlled reservoir drawdown through regulated gate operations and bottom outlet discharge to evacuate accumulated sediments. Technical teams conducted comprehensive inspections, cleaning, adjustments and testing on all three turbine-generator sets, main transformers and substation electrical components. The sediment removal operations followed methodologies approved by the Interagency Technical Committee comprising the Ministry of Environment and Energy, state utility CELEC EP and the National Biodiversity Institute INABIO.
CELEC SUR, the operational unit managing the facility, implemented environmental monitoring protocols throughout the maintenance period, including continuous water quality assessment that allowed real-time adjustment of discharge operations to minimize downstream impacts. Specialized biology teams conducted fish rescue operations in affected river sections, with captured species reintroduced after flow conditions normalized.
The utility conducted community engagement sessions with downstream river users before and during maintenance activities, coordinating the drawdown schedule with local stakeholders. The facility restored reservoir storage capacity through the maintenance cycle, positioning the plant to meet national dispatch requirements while preventing potential equipment degradation from sediment accumulation.
The maintenance completion returns the facility to full operational status within Ecuador’s hydroelectric generation fleet, which provides the majority of the country’s electricity supply. The coordinated approach between CELEC EP and environmental agencies demonstrates the operational framework applied to run-of-river hydroelectric facilities managing high sediment loads in Ecuador’s western cordillera watersheds.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
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